


Scared

by AgingPhangirl (Madophelia)



Series: A-Z of Parent!Phan [2]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Children, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Nightmares, Parent AU, parent!phan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 21:04:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11906193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madophelia/pseuds/AgingPhangirl
Summary: This was part of my celebration for reaching 800 followers on Tumblr, but I also wanted to add it to my A-Z of parent!phan series.





	Scared

**Author's Note:**

> This was part of my celebration for reaching 800 followers on Tumblr, but I also wanted to add it to my A-Z of parent!phan series.

Phil once again glares at Dan over the top of their bedspread as they heard the familiar pad of feet down the fall outside their bedroom door.

“This is your fault,” he whispers into the dark, not wanting to give away that they weren’t asleep. Had been staying awake for exactly this reason.

“I said I’m sorry,” Dan insists, “I didn’t think it would be that bad. It’s the fucking wizard of Oz, Phil, how was I supposed to know?”

“Witches are scary to six year olds!”

“Fine. I promise I won’t let him watch anything with witches ever again. Should we ban Harry Potter?”

Phil sighs and turns over, hearing the footsteps come to a stop outside their door. “For a few more years? Despite your assertions to the contrary, Voldemort isn’t actually fit. I imagine Zach wouldn’t find him particularly pleasant.”

He can’t see Dan roll his eyes, but he knows him well enough to know that he does.

The hinges on the door creak then, and a small hand appears on the edge of it, pushing it slightly. Phil shifts on the bed, pre-preemptively making space for the body that is all elbows and knees to climb into the spot between them.

“Hey Zacky,” he whispers, giving his voice low, trying not to wake their one-year-old asleep across the hall.

“I had a ni’mare” his small voice whimpers, bottom lip quivering.

“Come on then,” Phil acquiesces, patting the ready-prepared place.

Their son climbs up quickly, and sure enough, catching Phil on the edge of the jaw with his elbow on the way.

“What was your nightmare about?” Dan asks, tucking him under his long arm.

Phil doesn't know why Dan gets all the cuddles, and gets to act like he doesn’t know exactly what Zach is plagued by at night. He’s caused this whole thing after all. Phil sighs once more, softly this time so Zach doesn’t notice, and runs a hand through the child's hair. It’s curly, like Dan’s, unruly because he won’t let them cut it often. He likes it slightly on the side of shaggy, and it kind of warms Phil’s heart that he embraces it way more than Dan did when he was younger. He hopes it lasts. The not sleeping, however? He hopes that doesn’t last. He could do with more sleep, Alexa is still young enough to be running them ragged and Phil is definitely starting to feel like he's getting on a bit.

“The green witch,” Zach sobs into Dan’s chest, his tiny hand clutching a stuffed bear. It’s Dan’s... was Dan’s. Given to him by his grandmother when he was born, and now passed on to Zach. It’s been his since the first day he’d come home with them and he hasn’t slept a night without it since.

Phil wants to stay mad at Dan for making this happen, for the fact that Zach is crying into Dan’s t-shirt like he’s scared the witch is coming to take him away right now, but the sight of Dan holding Zach, rubbing his back and shushing him gently is a sight that still catches in Phil’s throat, even 6 years later.

He kind of wants to get Alexa, have them all in this bed, their whole family, but he knows he needs to be the responsible parent. The one that lets their baby sleep, and doesn’t show their 6 year old films that could permanently scar him.

“You know, the witch melted at the end Zacky,” Phil points out. Where comfort doesn't seem to slow his crying any, maybe logic will work.

“Melted?” The child replies, lifting his head, face reddened from crying into the warmth of Dan’s body.

“Yup,” Phil confirms, “Dorothy pours water alllll over her and she melts. Didn’t you see the end of the film?”

“I felled asleep,” Zach says, bottom lip sticking out and a tiny fist curled into his tired eyes. His grammar always takes a nose dive when he's sleepy. Thankfully, he's quite articulate normally. Alexa is babbling too, with no distinctive words yet, not really, but she's getting there. Producing enough noise anyway.

“Well,” Phil says, holding out an arm and watching as Zach crawls away from Dan and into Phil’s waiting embrace. Dan receives a kick to his hip, and Phil can’t help but think he deserves it when he notices the wince. “That naughty witch melted all up, and she can’t get you any more.”

“From the water?” Zach asks, his tiny brow furrowed, brown eyes narrowed like he thinks Phil is trying to trick him.

He looks so much like Dan when he's contemplating a difficult problem that Phil almost laughs. He keeps it together just barely.

“Yes. Ordinary water. Witches don’t like water.”

Zach considers this. Phil can see the cogs turning in his brain as he tests the validity of his father’s words.

“Okay.”

He curls a fist into Phil’s pyjama bottoms, his small, thin legs tucked over Phil’s hip.

“Think you can go back to bed now?”

Zach looks at Phil then, over at Dan who nods encouragingly but ultimately shakes his head. “Don’t want to.”

His head falls forward, ducks under Phil’s chin and Phil, automatically, holds him close and pats his back rhythmically.

“I’ve got an idea,” Dan says suddenly, leaping up from the bed and throwing back the covers. The corner of them flick back against Zach’s feet , making him lift his head to see where his dad has gone.

“What is it?”

Dan doesn't say anything in response, just leaves the room, and Phil hears him go down the stairs.

“I think if you go to your bedroom, and wait really patiently, you might find out what your Dad is up to,” Phil suggests.

Zach tips his head for a second before nodding, considering the trade off of a surprise in exchange for the imminent threat of witch invasion worth it. “Okay.”

Phil lifts him up, lets him wind his arms around his neck and hang on. Phil walks him the short distance to his room next to theirs. He can’t help up duck his head into Alexa’s room on the way, but the susurrant sound of her breathing is the only sound and he smiles to know she’s okay.  
He places Zach back into his bed, under the red sheets covered in cartoon dogs that he’d picked out himself when he got his ‘big boy bed’.

He hears Dan return shortly after, when Zach is hunkered down, keeping all of his limbs inside the confines of his blanket as though any potential threats won't be able to reach him there. With both of his dads in the room, he's safe enough.

Phil he's the slosh of liquid that proves his theory about what Dan had been up to and turns to see Dan clutching the handle of a bucket in his wide palm.

"Here you are," he announces, placing it on the floor next to Zach, "your very own Witch defensive system. You see that naughty witch and she won't come any near you because you've got the magic water weapon."

Zach's eyes go wide, looking at the bucket with skepticism and enthusiasm in equal measure.  
"Will it work?" Zach asks, nervously.

"Yup," Phil nods, "Promise Zacky, witches don't like water."

"Okay."

He seems settled at that, and they sit on his bed for a few more minutes, Phil stroking his hair and Dan's hand resting on his side over the duvet. He drifts off after some minutes, his little face pressed into his pillow, hand still curled around his bear. They leave silently, pulling the door close with a soft bump.

They don't talk until they are back in their room with the door closed.

"You know he's going to knock that bucket over," Phil says., climbing back into their bed.  
Dan sighs, "I had to think of something. I'm just kind of making it up as I go along here."

He stretches out next to Phil. Phil rolls over, presses his lips against Dan's temple and winds his arms around him, holds him close.

"We both are," he shrugs, his arms jostling Dan slightly, "There isn't a big parenting book about how to deal with every situation. It worked. He's fine."

Dan groans, "Do you think Alexa is going to be like this?"

"Maybe," Phil laughs, "Though she might take after me and be perfectly fine with horror before bed. Who knows?"

"Let's hope," Dan mumbles, his eyes closing. They've both learned how to fall asleep quickly in the last six years. Grab sleep when you can, it might not come around again. Though with both of them getting older, it's getting easier and easier.

Maybe they'll do it a third time, Phil thinks fleetingly, but it's a thought that needs more attention so he doesn't dwell on it too much before they both fall to sleep.

Luckily, Zach sleeps through the rest of the night, peaceful and calm. Unluckily, Dan kicks over the bucket of water when he goes to get him up in the morning to take him to school. Phil laughs from the corridor, holding Alexa on one hip, her tiny hands inspecting the packet of baby wipes she'd appropriated on the changing table. She's crinkling them like they're the most fascinating thing in the world.

"Your dad is funny," Phil says to Alexa, but she doesn't really respond.

"Shut up Phil," Dan grumbles, lifting Zach over the spreading wet patch.

"Flood! Flood!" Zach laughs, dancing around the floor, arms waving wildly.

"Uniform Zach," Dan reprimands, but his voice is fond. "Then breakfast."

Zach is good and he wanders off to get dressed while Dan is locating towels to lay over the wet patch. The morning is good, despite the drama, and Phil thinks that if they can just stay away from the scary films for a few more years, everything will be just perfect.


End file.
